The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Review Thread (Spoilers)

[bunkz323]

Saw it Yesterday, Ended up getting the 11:30AM HFR 3D showing. Got those Green The Hobbit glasses so im kept them.

At first i liked how it looked but then at the Dinner Scene and a little before that i was regretting seeing it that way. It just looked too fake like those tv previews they have at Best Buy(i don't have that function on my tv)
Found the beginning pretty slow, im not familiar with the book but didn't enjoy it. Once the journey started it was great and i got used to the 48fps, the scene where Thorin gets up from the tree and challenges the Orc was fantastic i was in Awe on how that looked.

Overall great movie imo didn't even feel like a 3 hr movie at all.
4/5

Plus i also noticed that bilbo walked a little too fast in the beginning lol
very obvious

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

[Show spoiler]There were many inconsistencies including that one I didn't mention, because I thought the point had been made and I didn't want to sound overly negative. Speaking of which, inconsistency is the thing that baffles me about this and the last two LotR movies. I can't think of any movie that has the support these movies enjoy, from the fans and the devoted production crew. The set pieces, special effects, props, costumes, art, etc. are second to none. The films are based on the most popular literature in history, aside from the Bible and religious texts, and therefore are practically guaranteed to be successful. The most knowledgable experts were available to consult, years to prepare, and from I heard, the largest movie budget of all time. This should have been a no-brainer, spectacular, out-of-this-universe production.

And the movie WAS good. So why the let-down?

Because it was ONLY good.

[Show spoiler]The 70 percent (or whatever it is) rotten tomatoes score and the less-than-ecstatic comments on this (and other) forums are not aberrations. IMO the obvious reason is the script. In just about every instance, the screenwriters' invented material is the weak link, along with the predisposition to over-dramatize, when the creed of many entertainers is to "give them just enough to leave them wanting more". We can be thankful that the source material in this book does not open the door for excessive crying, and that the screenwriters finally got "at this point actor falls down" out of their system, and the other trivial "nuisance" items that have been frequently pointed out. I think that what The Hobbit could have used is a "fresh vision" - and to keep the movie from becoming ridiculous - by using people (and for this movie there would have been many) who actually know the story. Jackson may be a great director, and certainly deserved the Oscar, but these scripts (do I dare say it?) are lacking.

So we are off to an "OK" start, and we know that in the next movie we will witness the most incredible

[Show spoiler] dragon

ever filmed, but will the story be as impressive, or will it just be "OK"? Either way, I will go to see it (and buy all of the movie books and versions of the BD's), but I hate coming out of the theater wondering, "if only..."

I've been trying to figure out why I just can't seem to LOVE the movie, and now that I've read this I understand exactly why. You hit the proverbial nail squarely on the head with your assessment, Bob.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by My_Two_Cents

I've been trying to figure out why I just can't seem to LOVE the movie, and now that I've read this I understand exactly why. You hit the proverbial nail squarely on the head with your assessment, Bob.

Merry Christmas, My Two Cents!

[Javy3]

I watched this in 3D HFR and I liked the movie but dissappointed with the HFR 3D.

I don't think it increases or improves the 3D and I think it pulls me out of the movie and makes me more aware of the flaws and special effects in the movie. It turns this huge budget film into a made for TV movie. My wife and I are not fans, when she saw it the first thing she said was how much she hates the way it looks and how it resembles those lame preview set ups at Best Buy where they make the movie look strange (Transformers near us).

I hope these HFR films don't pick up any steam because I don't believe our movie sets and special effects are at a place where taking away that filter will not give away the fact that the pumpkin Bilbo jumped over in the begining of the movie was clearly plastic.

I have to say I think the worst scene was the slow motion Battle Scene in the very beginning of the movie introducing the Pale Orc. The slow motion didnt look right in HFR. It looked like the actors were purposefully doing their actions slow and at differents rates of speed as oppossed to time actually slowing down.

[TheZoof]

Watched at Imax 3d... 48fps was fantastic. I hope all movies start to use this soon!

I don't understand the negative reviews of it. Everyone talks about director vision, 'as a movie should look', etc. This is what Jackson wants the movie to look like.

It is a clear picture and just a perfect way for our movie industry to move forward.

Good job!

Looking forward to part 2 and 3!

[LynxFX]

Originally Posted by joe_b

If it was truly 48 fps, they should immediately be able to spot the difference. The dramatic switch in visual quality from the trailers to the main feature would be a dead giveaway.

Which really makes me question people that have stated that they really didn't see much of a difference with 48fps. My guess, that is because they didn't watch it in 48fps.

[bunkz323]

Originally Posted by LynxFX

Which really makes me question people that have stated that they really didn't see much of a difference with 48fps. My guess, that is because they didn't watch it in 48fps.

That's very true. I straight up noticed, from the film's title i noticed.
My Wife who is no movie buff at all even told me it looked very weird and
different from anything she's seen before.

I told her "yes baby, that's history in the making right there" lol

[Brightstar]

just came back from the cinema it was good but no where near as good as LOTR

[Ernest Rister]

IMO the obvious reason is the script. In just about every instance, the screenwriters' invented material is the weak link, along with the predisposition to over-dramatize, when the creed of many entertainers is to "give them just enough to leave them wanting more".

I had the same reaction. The film is very good when it follows Tolkien - for instance, I have none of the negative reactions to Bilbo's first meeting with the dwarfs. It played fine for me, and in keeping with the tone of the book. I can't help but feel, however, that the movie stops dead in its tracks everytime there is an invented scene. Like letting air out of a tire. Some of the plot alterations also seem to not gel. I'm not sure how

[Show spoiler]the dwarfs abandoning Gandalf in Rivendell is going to gel with the angst and even despair the dwarfs have when Gandalf leaves them before they enter Mirkwood. I know why the screenwriters did it - it's "Go Home, Sam Pt. II", setting up an intended rousing moment when Gandalf appears to save them with the Goblin King

. I get a nagging sense that sometimes the writers don't trust the material, and they need to manipulate and wring emotions out of the events and (I hate this term) dumb everything down.

Sometimes the need to make sure everyone is on the same page works beautifully, like the scene in The Two Towers where Faramir and another soldier roll out a map and discuss strategy. It's a brilliant visual device as it explains to everyone their spatial relationships to the Enemy and explains the stakes. That sort of co-creativity works. It's a great device to orient the audience and it's smart visual storytelling.

Where I get frustrated are the moments where the tale is altered for cheap laughs or forced emotion. It isn't neccessary. In The Hobbit, we've come into a new category, with the White Council scene, and it feels like the characters are written in one-dimensional stereotypes. It's why I had the odd sense during the White Council scene that the actors were coming across like they were role-playing, like peolpe in costume doing improv at a Renaissance Fair. The dialog is artless, and it's just off, somehow.

Lastly, really wish the jokes about Old Toby being analagous to marijuana were left out. I thought it was a silly alteration and in very bad taste in the prior films, and it's taken to maybe the worst level here. I really wish the writers could find better methods of finding humour than such simplistic - dare I say it? - vulgarity.

[Javy3]

Originally Posted by TheZoof

Watched at Imax 3d... 48fps was fantastic. I hope all movies start to use this soon!

I don't understand the negative reviews of it. Everyone talks about director vision, 'as a movie should look', etc. This is what Jackson wants the movie to look like.

It is a clear picture and just a perfect way for our movie industry to move forward.

Good job!

Looking forward to part 2 and 3!

I could care less for the director's vision when I want to watch a movie I want to be immersed in the movie and to be entertained.

I was entertained however the immersion was suffering due to the speed. I think there are better ways to increase resolution (blu ray) then to do the hfr. It just makes the seperation between actors and special effects more stark and that's the opposite of what directors want.

[cvargo]

Saw this friday in 2d. And I am not a huge fan of the books, and this movie while visually stunning was just not my cup of tea.

[master_8ball]

Saw The Hobbit last night in 3D HFR. Thought the movie was really good, my wife was a little disappointed upon hearing it’s the first of 3. Felt just like watching another LOTR film, sure some goofy parts but it added to the charm.

I don't really know how I feel about the HFR yet. There were parts were I was watching and though wow this is amazing and then other times when it took me too far out of the movie. It certainly improved the 3D, brightness was excellent and being able to see every detail in fast moving action was great. On the other hand while it made some things look more real (water ) other things suffered, mainly the CGI characters which when in the same scene as live actors looks like a videogame. I wondered during those kind of scenes how the regular 24fps film would look, probably more natural. I will say that I thought this movie has some of the best 3D I had seen yet, the scene where Gollum is trying to find the ”burglar” looked simply amazing. I would like to see another movie in HFR maybe something that didn't rely so much on CGI but at the same time I sat and thought how cool it would be to watch the new Trek movie this way!

I should add that the score felt very underwhelming, not sure why. Some parts there was nothing where it felt like some music should be going on.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

I had the same reaction. The film is very good when it follows Tolkien - for instance, I have none of the negative reactions to Bilbo's first meeting with the dwarfs. It played fine for me, and in keeping with the tone of the book. I can't help but feel, however, that the movie stops dead in its tracks everytime there is an invented scene. Like letting air out of a tire. Some of the plot alterations also seem to not gel. I'm not sure how

[Show spoiler]the dwarfs abandoning Gandalf in Rivendell is going to gel with the angst and even despair the dwarfs have when Gandalf leaves them before they enter Mirkwood. I know why the screenwriters did it - it's "Go Home, Sam Pt. II", setting up an intended rousing moment when Gandalf appears to save them with the Goblin King

.

I recall something like "oh no, not again" going through my mind at the same point, and again when

[Show spoiler] Bilbo leaves the dwarves while at the cave.

I get a nagging sense that sometimes the writers don't trust the material, and they need to manipulate and wring emotions out of the events and (I hate this term) dumb everything down.

Sometimes the need to make sure everyone is on the same page works beautifully, like the scene in The Two Towers where Faramir and another soldier roll out a map and discuss strategy. It's a brilliant visual device as it explains to everyone their spatial relationships to the Enemy and explains the stakes. That sort of co-creativity works. It's a great device to orient the audience and it's smart visual storytelling.

Agreed, and again, the inconsistencies. A brief example, the scene you mention with Faramir - wonderful - and then moments later, his men are relentlessly beating the crap out of the defenseless Gollum, which is amplified even more in the EE. Hey, these are "the good guys", among the few righteous men in Middle-earth, as Jackson and Boyens - self-proclaimed "Tolkien fans" - are aware. Kind of like rewriting a story to have Superman punch a baby in a carriage to promote a little more excitement.

Where I get frustrated are the moments where the tale is altered for cheap laughs or forced emotion. It isn't neccessary. In The Hobbit, we've come into a new category, with the White Council scene, and it feels like the characters are written in one-dimensional stereotypes. It's why I had the odd sense during the White Council scene that the actors were coming across like they were role-playing, like peolpe in costume doing improv at a Renaissance Fair. The dialog is artless, and it's just off, somehow.

The White Council should have been a huge "payoff" scene - the ultimate gathering of the Wise - that I had been waiting for perhaps more than any part of the movie. I'm challenged to think of a way they could have made it more lackluster.

Lastly, really wish the jokes about Old Toby being analagous to marijuana were left out. I thought it was a silly alteration and in very bad taste in the prior films, and it's taken to maybe the worst level here. I really wish the writers could find better methods of finding humour than such simplistic - dare I say it? - vulgarity.

I thought they had inflicted maximum damage on the character of Radagast until I saw that scene. Maybe it's a good thing that Christopher isn't allowing The Silmarillion to be filmed!

[spanky87]

I see many people complaining about the CGI. I thought most of it looked good. If I hadn't read about people criticizing the Azog CGI before I saw the film, I wouldn't have known how it was done.

I saw it in 24fps 2D, so does it just look bad in High Frame Rate?

Some CGI was bad though, like the rabbit sled, which will seem even worse in a few years, and some shots of the Goblin King.

[L-Rouge]

Originally Posted by spanky87

I see many people complaining about the CGI. I thought most of it looked good. If I hadn't read about people criticizing the Azog CGI before I saw the film, I wouldn't have known how it was done.

I saw it in 24fps 2D, so does it just look bad in High Frame Rate?

Some CGI was bad though, like the rabbit sled, which will seem even worse in a few years, and some shots of the Goblin King.

seemingly the 48fps will augment any deficiencies. however a lot of blame was placed on the 3d technology rather than graphical inadequacies. I personally enjoyed my experience more in 48fps. though it was on a larger screen the definition was gorgeous, no panning jitter (or whatever it's called).

have seen in both and was impressed with both. the HFR screening handled tones more accurately

[Ernest Rister]

The White Council should have been a huge "payoff" scene - the ultimate gathering of the Wise - that I had been waiting for perhaps more than any part of the movie. I'm challenged to think of a way they could have made it more lackluster.

It's so strange -- I'm not trying to use hyperbole, but Gandalf comes off nervous and humble. Elrond is hanging back, bemused. Saruman comes off as irrational, like "that guy" in a disaster movie when he's shown plans to blow up a bridge only to respond, "This constitutes no evidence." It reminded me of Paul Gleason in Die Hard..."Maybe it was a stock broker who got depressed." And Galadriel - she's gliding around doing the slow motion thing, and delivering messages to Gandalf via telekinesis like she's texting durnig a lecture. It's just off. Again, I felt like I was watching these fine actors improvising like they were playing a role-playing game. None of the dialog sounded authentic. Again, just felt strange to me.

And just for you, Grand Bob, because I know you'll appreciate it...

[Show spoiler]did the Ring really need to bounce in slow motion five or six times with a deafening Clang! Thud!? Isn't one or two bounces enough? I think we get it with the first two Clang! and Thuds! that the Ring is important but the Ring keeps on bouncing.

[Velmeran]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

The White Council should have been a huge "payoff" scene - the ultimate gathering of the Wise - that I had been waiting for perhaps more than any part of the movie. I'm challenged to think of a way they could have made it more lackluster.

Like I stated last night, I think you'll get your payoff with the White Council in the next film.

Unless PJ expressly came out and said the meeting that occurred in AUJ was the 3rd meeting, I'm pretty confident it was based upon the 2nd. The discussion of the council matches up most better with the 2nd meeting than the 3rd.

I know according to actual timelines that the 2nd meeting took place well before the Quest of Erebor, and that the 3rd meeting took place during the quest; however this is PJ's Middle-Earth timeline we've already seen him make a mess of it in LotR regarding how much time passed before Frodo left the Shire.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

And just for you, Grand Bob, because I know you'll appreciate it...

[Show spoiler]did the Ring really need to bounce in slow motion five or six times with a deafening Clang! Thud!? Isn't one or two bounces enough? I think we get it with the first two Clang! and Thuds! that the Ring is important but the Ring keeps on bouncing.

Everyone knows that a Ring that bounces six times is, uh... three times better than a twice-bounced Ring! Hey, I think we just came up with some dialog for the second movie!

Originally Posted by Velmeran

Like I stated last night, I think you'll get your payoff with the White Council in the next film.

Unless PJ expressly came out and said the meeting that occurred in AUJ was the 3rd meeting, I'm pretty confident it was based upon the 2nd. The discussion of the council matches up most better with the 2nd meeting than the 3rd.

I know according to actual timelines that the 2nd meeting took place well before the Quest of Erebor, and that the 3rd meeting took place during the quest; however this is PJ's Middle-Earth timeline we've already seen him make a mess of it in LotR regarding how much time passed before Frodo left the Shire.

Velmeran, I hope you are correct. The W.C. I presumed we were seeing was the one as per the story that occurred in T.A. 2941, the year that Bilbo's journey takes place, but I'll allow for some "artistic license" if they have a second one that gets it right!

[Velmeran]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

Everyone knows that a Ring that bounces six times is, uh... three times better than a twice-bounced Ring! Hey, I think we just came up with some dialog for the second movie!



Velmeran, I hope you are correct. The W.C. I presumed we were seeing was the one as per the story that occurred in T.A. 2941, the year that Bilbo's journey takes place, but I'll allow for some "artistic license" if they have a second one that gets it right!

I think we have to hope that what we saw was form the meeting that occurred in T.A. 2851; because nothing they talked about in the film even remotely came close to the 2941 meeting.

Additionally

[Show spoiler]since we know that the White Council will at some point be taking action against Dol Guldur I feel like we have to get another meeting where the council does finally decide to take action. I'm also hoping that at that meeting we get more than just the 4 council members we got in UAJ.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Velmeran

I think we have to hope that what we saw was form the meeting that occurred in T.A. 2851; because nothing they talked about in the film even remotely came close to the 2941 meeting.

Additionally

[Show spoiler]since we know that the White Council will at some point be taking action against Dol Guldur I feel like we have to get another meeting where the council does finally decide to take action. I'm also hoping that at that meeting we get more than just the 4 council members we got in UAJ.

Yes, at some point a decision will have to be made to take action, and perhaps Glorfindel will finally get some screen time, since his part in Fellowship was played by Arwen. Too bad

[Show spoiler] Sauron's appearance is apparently limited to that of the spectre that Radagast briefly saw at Dol Guldur.

If Jackson hadn't included Saruman's improvised line that "he is not yet capable of assuming form" in 'Fellowship, he could have made an intimidating monster out of him, maybe something like the bad guy trying to take form in 'Hellraiser'.